Sunday, September 12, 2010

Do you keep abreast with current events? (True or False)

Abe V Rotor

1. Still the No. 1 issue the world faces and is likely to continue to face even at a greater degree and scope is Poverty. More than one-half of the world’s population of 6.4 billion people are living below the poverty line, with 1.2 billion of them in extreme poverty.

2. Climate Change as revealed by An Inconvenient Truth ushers the birth of Global Environmental Campaign which is likely to become a real Revolution for Environmental Protection and Conservation; and the emergence of a new breed of heroes for Mother Earth - Heroes of the Environment.

3. Al Gore the actor and academy award winner for his documentary also received the Nobel Prize together with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Both of them are featured Men of the Year 2007 by Time.

4. The US and Australia did not sign the Kyoto Protocol to cut down emission of gases into the atmosphere while the rest of the world dutifully complied with the international accord. These two countries continue to receive criticism for their indifference to global conformance, saying these countries have better alternatives than those in the Kyoto Protocol.

5. The term terrorism has expanded both in nature and scope that it is difficult to separate the following: “enemies” of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, “non-conformists” to nuclear weapons proliferation such as in N Korea and Iran, the so-called “radical” organizations such as NPA, MILF, MNLF, - these virtually allied to Al Qaeda, Taliban, Abu Sayaff.

6. Political analysts predict US troops will continue to remain in Afghanistan on account of the spread of Al-Qaida to neighboring Pakistan.

7. In the field of Stem Cell research, bioethics will always remain an issue as long as embryonic stem cells are used in tissue culture, on-site cloning of damaged organs of the body, rejuvenation, and other applications.

8. The Eurodollar and the US dollar have readjusted at even value, which is an indication that the US economy has recovered.

9. Eastern Europe now has big edge over Western Europe with the fact that the former is supplying oil to the original members of the EU. Thanks for expanding the EU membership to include the oil producing of Eastern Europe, including Russia.

10. The highest Tower of Babel today is in Taipei, Taiwan, followed by Petronas twin Towers of Malaysia. Sears and Empire State in the US have long been surpassed.

11. Burma has had a version similar to the Tiananmen Square incident in China during Deng’s time as prime minister to the apparent condemnation of the free world led by the UN and ASEAN with which Burma or Myanmar is a member.

12. The world’s attention is focused this year on the financial crisis of Greece, the worst ever in its modern history, and of the European Union. Germany has the biggest share in bailing out the beleaguered country.

13. Looking back at “What’s in a name – rather what makes a name?” Princess Diana after all mattered 10 years after her death – the humbling of the aristocracy (she transformed her country; modernizing the monarchy and unbuttoning Britain ); Mother Teresa’s confession of her personal battle inside her faith – Jesus prevailed.

14. Spain won the 2010 World Cup in football in South Africa beating Netherlands 1-0. For days, nay weeks, Spain was swept by Euphoria.

15. More and more people are rejecting Genetically Modified Food demanding mandatory labeling of food products whether Natural of Genetically Modified.

16. Contrary to people becoming vegetarians, the number of carnivores is increasing in practically all over the world. This is why more and more people are becoming obese – including Orientals/Asians.

17. The best countries for business as identified by the World Economic Forum (Davos, Switzerland) are as follows – top five in decreasing order: US, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Germany Finland, Singapore, Japan, UK and Netherlands.

18. Based on the same survey, the Philippines scored low but it is within the top 50 countries of favorable business climate as endorsed with the World Economic Forum.

19. In another survey of WEF. The Philippines is in the top 10 countries on the basis of gender equality. We even beat the US (slipped from 22 to 31),Germany (7), Denmark (8), UK (11), Canada (18), France (51) Italy (84).

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About Me

Award-winning author of "The Living with Nature Handbook" (Gintong Aklat Award 2003) and "Living with Nature in Our Times" (National Book Award 2008); Recipient Father Jose P Burgos Achievement Award (2016); professor, University of Santo Tomas, De La Salle University-D; former Director, National Food Authority; and Consultant on food and agriculture, Senate of the Philippines.